This winter melon tofu soup is literally the easiest soup in the universe. It is basically a play on textures. The winter melon balls are gelatinous and juicy; the tofu balls firm and smooth; the OmniMeat balls savoury and chewy. Unlike many Western soups, most Chinese soups are clear. The flavour of the soup itself is clean and subtle.
Winter melon is a wonderful gourd for removing heaty properties (清热), according to traditional Chinese medicine. Vegans or vegetarians generally don’t have much heatiness in our bodies as most of our food are considered cooling. However, during very hot days or in accompaniment with a lot of fried food, this soup can still serve its purpose.
I like to have this winter melon tofu soup as a contrast with strongly flavoured dishes, such as Long Beans with Mince (肉末豆角) and Vegan Gong Bao Chicken (宫保素丁).
Ingredients
- Omnimeat balls
Instructions
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Marinate the Omnimeat with a small amount of vegan oyster sauce and white pepper.
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Shape the Omnimeat into balls and deep fry in hot oil for 3 minutes. Drain and set aside.
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Using a melon baller, make little balls of winter melon and tofu.
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Bring water with a stock cube (or vegetable stock) to boil, then turn the heat down to a gentle boil, and cook the winter melon and tofu for 15 minutes.
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Add the Omnimeat balls to the soup and cook for another 2 minutes.
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Salt and pepper to taste. Serve hot with spring onions as garnish.
